Player backstory - need help making something special

[Monstrrr]

I have a player who plays a dwarf ranger. He spent the first 50 years of his life with his clan. The clan got obliterated, completely wiped out so now he’s the only survivor. He then lived with Eladrin that his clan had a treaty with for the next 100 years of his life, before coming back and starting his adventures.



I have a build for his clan’s stronghold, infested with orcs and ogres – descendants of the orcs and ogres that killed his clan. I feel like I should put something special there for my player, though, and I’m not sure what that might be. Can anyone help me with ideas?

[Man_Over_Game]

I have a player who plays a dwarf ranger. He spent the first 50 years of his life with his clan. The clan got obliterated, completely wiped out so now he’s the only survivor. He then lived with Eladrin that his clan had a treaty with for the next 100 years of his life, before coming back and starting his adventures.



I have a build for his clan’s stronghold, infested with orcs and ogres – descendants of the orcs and ogres that killed his clan. I feel like I should put something special there for my player, though, and I’m not sure what that might be. Can anyone help me with ideas?

Dwarven gear is strong and is designed to last the lifespan of dwarves, so 50 years is nothing. These orcs and ogres are using his clan's gear from the armory, and have been. Much of the gear has been sold for slaves/food or whatever, but the lord, and those closest to him, have retained some of the dwarven gear to maintain their positions.

Little do they know, dwarven items, particularly magical ones, instill special benefits to dwarves.

[Monstrrr]

Dwarven gear is strong and is designed to last the lifespan of dwarves, so 50 years is nothing. These orcs and ogres are using his clan's gear from the armory, and have been. Much of the gear has been sold for slaves/food or whatever, but the lord, and those closest to him, have retained some of the dwarven gear to maintain their positions.

Little do they know, dwarven items, particularly magical ones, instill special benefits to dwarves.

Well, 100 years since his clan was murdered, but your point still stands. I do have some gear for them planned, but as this was once the PC's home, I thought maybe he'd find something related to... I dunno, maybe his family? Or... I honestly don't know. Maybe this is just how he finds out how his clan was murdered.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Well, 100 years since his clan was murdered, but your point still stands. I do have some gear for them planned, but as this was once the PC's home, I thought maybe he'd find something related to... I dunno, maybe his family? Or... I honestly don't know. Maybe this is just how he finds out how his clan was murdered.

You can still do it, give him his family ancient armor. The one that was belong to his great grandpa the legendary warrior. Or something like that.

[Man_Over_Game]

Well, 100 years since his clan was murdered, but your point still stands. I do have some gear for them planned, but as this was once the PC's home, I thought maybe he'd find something related to... I dunno, maybe his family? Or... I honestly don't know. Maybe this is just how he finds out how his clan was murdered.

I mean, ogres and trolls wearing the dwarves' clans' colors on stolen shields and helmets would be a very clear sign.

100 years later of an area being controlled by trolls and ogres won't have much left that isn't solid. However, maybe his family had a basement that was hidden, or maybe there's actually a dwarf that survived, living in some cellar somewhere, trapped after all these years. Maybe touching the weapons of his ancestors shows him the ghost of that dwarf, fighting off the tide of assailants that have come for their home. Maybe when their last member of the clan comes back, the ghosts of the past all try to join him in combat (providing various different benefits during the fight).

[Draconi Redfir]

usually in these situations there is a powerful weapon or suit of armor hidden away that can only be accessed by the character who receives it. Perhaps it's locked behind a ritual that require's a Dwarf with the clan's blood, or maybe just a small enough hole the orcs and ogres can't get through.

if you want to be a bit more creative, perhaps it's instead an ale (and it's recipe) that makes the Dwarf more powerful in combat, maybe giving him a few rounds of Rage, or a bonus to his most used ability scores. OR maybe a necklace or ring with some kind of enchantment on it.

OR! if you want to REAAALLY go for the feels, a stasis chamber with a small family of Dwarves from his clan held in Suspended Animation somehow, for some reason, that he could potentially revive to bring back his clan. Maybe this could require a sacrifice of some kind, either the system only has enough power / magic / whatever for a few of the dwarves, so he needs to choose who lives and who dies, or whatever ends up reviving them mutilates him in some way, tearing off an arm or requiring his eye or something. (One of the woken Dwarves knows how to make a magical or mechanical replacement once the fight is over). Maybe someone he knows is even in there.

[strangebloke]

Damaged art.

Sculptures. Carved Basins. Fine steel chandeliers. Just amazing craftsmanship, set amidst brutish orcish utilitarianism. A room used to be a temple, now it's a waste dump.

Offer bonuses for simple actions. They clear out the temple area and receive a blessing. A simple (but very fine) dwarven belt that was being used as a slave collar for a warg is actually a magical belt that confers bonuses to dwarves.

Lastly, prepare a special room. His family's room. Very little evidence of what was once there remains, except for a hidden workshop which the orcs never discovered. In it lie his father's bones. The man escaped here when the attack came and a journal recounts his last days. He spent the last days starving, his heart full of vengeance, creating a weapon of fearsome power.

A weapon named resolve, designed to be bane to all orc kind.

[Monstrrr]

Lastly, prepare a special room. His family's room. Very little evidence of what was once there remains, except for a hidden workshop which the orcs never discovered. In it lie his father's bones. The man escaped here when the attack came and a journal recounts his last days. He spent the last days starving, his heart full of vengeance, creating a weapon of fearsome power.

A weapon named resolve, designed to be bane to all orc kind.

I REALLY like this, thank you! I think I'll try to work off this type of idea.

[tchntm43]

Beyond the suggestions about gear that helps the character in measurable ways, I would also consider something like this:
The orcs and ogres broke a lot of things, and in doing so, exposed a secret. The character, after defeating the orcs and ogres and taking the place back, would find this secret, some kind of dark secret about the family he never knew about, that could lead to further adventure hooks down the line. I mean, it depends a lot on the campaign. It could be some more ominous aspect of the alliance with the other clan. Something they don't want to tell this character about. Or, maybe the family had a secret pact with a sworn enemy of the dwarves, like the duergar or a group of kobold wizards, or the drow.